Against the background of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Putin's threats, the European Union should prepare for a possible war and take measures for joint armament, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the air of the German radio station Deutschlandfunk, DW writes, reports UNN.
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Von der Leyen, who previously headed the German Defense Ministry, emphasized the importance of consistent support for Ukraine and simultaneously strengthening its own defense capabilities.
If we are to maintain peace on our continent, we need to invest in defense
At the same time, the head of the European Commission, who intends to run for a second term as a candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), pointed to Russia's "hybrid attacks", including the recent removal of border markings on the border with Estonia, the use of migrants as a tool of confrontation with the EU and attempts to split Europeans through social media.
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Speaking about the need to strengthen the EU's defense capabilities, von der Leyen also emphasized the positive effects of this process for the European economy. As an example, she mentioned the proposal of Poland and Greece to create a joint air defense system.
It is important that the billions we invest also create good jobs here in Europe
According to the head of the European Commission, funding for defense capability strengthening should be provided by budgetary funds that come from contributions from EU member states.
The Treaties establishing the European Union provide for a common defense policy, but do not provide for the financing of operational expenditures for military and defense purposes from the EU budget.